“Your Hands are Tied, Literally:” Mothers Navigating Relationships With Their Children While System-Involved

Abstract

This study examines mothers’ experiences and relationships with their children while incarcerated and under community supervision. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 16 mothers/primary caregivers under community supervision in a Pacific Northwestern state. The findings highlight the complex realities mothers face at the intersections of the criminal legal and child welfare systems. Further, mothers face distinct structural and emotional barriers to maintaining relationships with their children during and following incarceration. Finally, the findings reveal the importance of mothers’ relationships with their children towards motivation for sobriety and desistance. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.